Ruben Bolling Profile in The New Yorker

From The New Yorker. 

“Tom the Dancing Bug,” which Ruben Bolling began publishing widely in 1990, has always been free-form and vaudevillian from week to week—original characters, recurring parodies and satires, one-offs, a terrific long-running meta-funny-pages gag.

His illustration style tends toward a tidy clean-line aesthetic, à la “Tintin,” but it morphs to suit whatever he’s up to: hatched and shaded portrait-style depictions of celebrities and politicians; imitations of other artists; fake ads, posters, and informational broadsides. 

Early on, Bolling had “Saturday Night Live,” Mad magazine, and “Mr. Show” in mind as inspirations. 

The strip has become more political over time, especially in recent years, though the past few weeks of U.S. election news—an assassination attempt in one party, the passing of the candidacy torch in the other—has been atypical in its intensity. 

Like all satirists of our era, Bolling has learned to adapt.

Layoffs at SaltWire and Chronicle Herald

From The Globe and Mail.

Layoffs at Atlantic Canada’s largest newspaper chain are necessary because the properties were facing bankruptcy, according to the CEO of Postmedia Network Inc., who says his company’s purchase of the troubled assets prevented a “terrible tragedy and travesty” for the region.

In an interview Friday, days after the Toronto-based media company finalized its $1-million purchase of insolvent SaltWire Network Inc. and the Halifax Herald Ltd., Andrew MacLeod said he didn’t have specifics on how many people have so far lost their job. The situation is a “fluid process,” he said.

A day earlier, media union CWA Canada said more than 60 SaltWire staff had been laid off, while nearly 300 remained employed until their future is decided by Postmedia.

Drawn Testimony: My Four Decades as a Courtroom Sketch Artist

From The Washington Post.

Since 1946, cameras have been generally forbidden in federal courts, which means that TV viewers and newspaper readers often must use their imaginations when learning about a trial. 

The law has been relaxed since 1981, but artists are still in high demand to illustrate the drama behind courtroom doors.

Jane Rosenberg talks about her new book, “Drawn Testimony,” and shares the highs and lows of more than 40 years drawing dramatic courtroom moments.

Michael de Adder, 2023 NCS Editorial Cartoon Award Winner

From NCS.

At the 78th Annual NCS Reuben Awards ceremony, held in San Diego last night, Michael de Adder won the 2023 NCS Editorial Cartoon Award for his work at the Washington Post.

He was nominated along with Michael Ramirez and Reuben Bolling.

2024 Editorial Cartoonist Convention in Montreal

 

Canadian and American editorial cartoonists, as well as a few European guests, will meet this fall in conjunction with a conference on the digital future of the profession organized by the McCord Museum in Montréal.

More details here.

Cathy Wilcox wins Les Kennedy Award

From The Daily Cartoonist.

The Australian Kennedy Foundation has announced this year’s winners of the Kennedy Awards for Outstanding Journalism. 

In the category of Outstanding Cartoon, the prize goes to Cathy Wilcox of the Nine Network & The Sydney Morning Herald, for her cartoon Solid Ground.

The Onion to release print edition

From The Globe and Mail.

The Onion will hand out its new print edition this week at the Democratic National Convention in Chicago.